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Jean-Daniel Cusin

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Reinventing government - what would it look like?

If we were to start from scratch and invent a new model of national governance using current available technology and possibilities - what would that look like?

What criteria would be used to evaluate what a good model of governance looks like? I think a basic premise would be that those affected by decisions must have the means to weigh in on them and that the governance measures must be provably sustainable - other thoughts?

Topics: Internet direct democracy governance government sustainability technology
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    Tim Colgan 50+

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    Apr 27 2011: I have a question to the group. Before starting to debate what the government would look like, don't we need to decide - what should it's goals be?

    For example, should the following be goals of a government?:
    . Provide maximum opportunity to the maximum number
    . Enhance the well-being of the community
    . Protect the natural environment
    . Manage the exploitation of natural resources

    What other goals should it have? How would you prioritize them?
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 27 2011: Yes we need to do that..but this converstaion closes oin 7 hours..I am suggesting we should strat a part III that works from the hash through of issues 30 people have worked at here..if Jean is not game..may be you are..we could call it "Reinventing Government..PArt II. Is our own "We the People"..the declaration of indepdence and our consitution with its 27 ammendmendts an adequate and complete expression of our values as a people..do we need to re visit even those foundations. Are they gfleshed ouyt enough to enable us to deal with global issues ( our place as a nation in the world), environemental integrity, the integrity of our banking and monetray systems..I think we need a part III,
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    Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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    Apr 27 2011: Jean--thank you for this wonderful conversation that I thin kis exactly what TED Converstaions envisioned..As I watch the clock wind down to closing, I re read your question and re read the entire conversation..every word top to bottom. I counted 27 different voices here and each exchange thoughtful, consfdered, purposeful. Still we never did get to your question..what would that look like..we only got as far as hashing out the issues..maybe you'll host a Part III so we can do part II together and invit eother voices to join us? In any event..thank you again Jean-Dabiel for this wonderful conversation.

  • Brandon Scott

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    Apr 26 2011: What's so wrong with a hunter gatherer society? Can you imagine a world where you can literally completely provide for yourself and your family without interference? In my eyes, complete freedom is the only way to go. Build what you want to build, eat what you want to eat, go where you want to go. I feel like it's only the weakness of people fearing that they don't have what it takes to survive on their own that keeps us running to governments. Yes, life would be much simpler. Yes, life would be less social. Yes, life would be full of issues that you yourself, God forbid, would have to deal with. Our society's and government's structure has changed incredibly and became wildly complex over the years. But change is not always progress.
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      Tim blackburn 30+

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      Apr 26 2011: exactly. if a community loved itself, its diversity would provide for itself in everyway. but we find reasons to put borders, community zones, and brick walls all the way down to the wall of your room to keep us from the world around us.
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        Helen Hupe 30+

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        Apr 26 2011: Hi Tim...................Once I had someone ask me "Where do you end and space begins ?" I guess that is why we have rooms...if we want to be alone or limit who joins us.
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          Tim blackburn 30+

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          Apr 27 2011: i got nothing against rooms i should say, they are fun to fill the space they create, but what i was getting at is we seem to think we need more and more borders between eachother and more laws to enforce said walls.
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        Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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        Apr 26 2011: Tim..I love this.

        ." if a community loved itself, its diversity would provide for itself in everyway."

        that is the essence..the source..so simply and beauifully said.
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        Helen Hupe 30+

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        Apr 27 2011: Tim I getcha. I have never really answered that question to my satisfaction.

    • y yolanda

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      Apr 26 2011: A study I've seen on this idea supposedly showed that the average (in the case I read), Americans, would not want to find their own food, nor build their own shelters. From this, I realized that if these societies change in new, creative and better ways, I, along with everyone else who is of a certain age, generation or group, must be willing and agreeable to the fact that I will be one whose life is going to be upset and unbalanced the most and most likely, in many disagreeable, irritating ways, that make my life run much less than smoothly. Many new changes may seem like they don't make any sense. There is going to be an overlap between generations somewhere, before and until, it really smooths out and begins to settle into what we envision now, that it could be, and those who are going to be phased out, will be most affected. How long for this? Who knows. They/we/I, must accept this if they/we/I, really aren't just talking out the sides of our mouths. When in fact I speak to those I know of these kinds of changes, they are immediately, and I mean immediately, upset, angry, spiteful, dismissive, contemptuous and other kinds of adjectives. This, I cannot seem to get through to them. This has to start now, it has to. Better later than sorry doesn't work 'cause now, later is too late. I know that realistically and also philosophically, there is no such thing as complete and total freedom but I do think humans should work for creating something, or rather learning how to "allow" something as close as possible to complete freedom as they can live with and live by. This involves practicing patience and tolerance, and with them, gaining understanding and knowledge and through these, maybe finding the deeper and I think, very real connections that make us, or show us, that we are one and not separate as we feel, and have existed and have not been able to come together without killing one another, or just killing, i.e. trust, spirit, childlike-wonder as we age, etc.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 26 2011: There is truth in what you say Branden..my island wilderness preserve here in Maine is a continual wild harvest of mushrooms, lobsters, clams,mussels, blueberries, blackberries, stripped bass jumping in my cove..Folk who shop at whole food markets who come to visit are thrilled to know how to harvest l,ettuce or pick peas or recognize a porcini within its spongy disguise...it's amazing how many CEO's and hi -powered folk come here just to rest but find real joy in becoming hunter gathere's again..It's almost like a memory that lives in us somehow. I feel it every day here. Put that tigether with Tim's remarkably beutiful statement that a community that loves itself feeds and houses all..and Y Yolanda's tribal mother wisdom and we start someplace that is worth building from..of course not reverting to "primitive life" but living closer to, governing ourselves closer to what lives in each of us and wants to speak"
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    Tim blackburn 30+

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    Apr 26 2011: I want to see REAL anarchy. I see no reason why a society needs a goverment to provide for itself. goverment is a luxury(or a curse)

  • Harry Stottle

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    Apr 25 2011: may I simply submit my own modest proposal: I make no apologies for nudging you in the direction of a piece I wrote a couple of years back. In short, the best, and in my view, the only way to re-invent government is to abolish it.
    http://stottle.blogspot.com/2009/01/authoritarians.html
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 26 2011: Hi Harry..reminds me of that old saw "Chistianity hasn't failed, it just hasn't been tried yet" I am beginning to think most folk are very lazy about democracy and even about their own morals and ethics.You are sadly correct..people think democracy is delegating to others ( our legislators)..no one wants to roll up their sleeves and do the really hard work of having a real democracy. I am very disheartend and surprised for example by the thread on "Would You Buy Unethical Clothes"..too much effort they say unless the clothing is labled..By the way..love the idea of your blog and I do the same at blogspot ( my "spiritual" blog and at posterous my blog on searching for the truth behind the headlines. What you are doing is good and honorable work..thank you. Harry.

      • Harry Stottle

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        Apr 27 2011: Thanks Lindsay
        It is easy to be overwhelmed by the scale of the problem. Getting people even to understand what Democracy really is, is proving to be almost impossible, so it's not encouraging to even contemplate the task which would then follow (getting the required consensus to implement it) let alone the even more remote obstacles we'll face when we actually do. But I'm an optimist and decades of hill walking has taught me that the mountain always looks bigger and tougher from the bottom than the top!
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          Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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          Apr 27 2011: RE: How The Mountain Looks From The Bottom

          Well as I once learned on a hike in the Azores ..the way to get to the top of a mountain is to just make the section right in front of you..and then the next one and then the next one and never think about how high the mountain is or whether you actually can reach the top.We can't avoid problems because they are too big to solve..we have to just sart with what is in front us and do what we can from there.

  • y yolanda

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    Apr 24 2011: People all over the world want an end to slavery. People all over the world want an end to fighting. People all over the world want an end to starvation. People all over the world want an end to homelessness. People all over the world, in every country, want peace, harmony and community. People all over the world have wanted these since the beginning of time. Who doesn't want these things?
    Politicians. Religions and religious leaders and followers. Governments. Corporations. Lawyers. These people have never, ever, solved human problems. In fact, they work to cause them and keep them alive for the profits they gain from them and the increasing power and control they have over us.
    They will tell you that another country is evil, wants to destroy you, take what you have, but that is the multiple leaderships in America, and other countries, using lies, fear and brainwashing techniques. It takes 2 years to brainwash a human being using all the controlled medias and other forms. How long have you been listening to this stuff?
    Only people have solved our human problems, mostly without money, because they always leave it for us to solve on our own and without the money to do so. We clean it up.
    So, if they don't solve our problems, they are irrelevant to all our lives and we should get rid of what is not relevant to our lives and solving our problems, WHICH WE REALLY NEED AND WANT SOLVED!

    They want the populace to believe they need them when it is the other way around. They need us and we don't need them.
    "They are afraid of the old for their memory, they are afraid of the young for their innocence, they are afraid of the graves of their victims in faraway places, they are afraid of history. They are afraid of freedom. They are afraid of truth. They are afraid of democracy.So why the hell are we afraid of them? ... For they are afraid of us/US." -- Czech Group Plastic People of the Universe, Prague 1968

  • y yolanda

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    Apr 24 2011: I would hope that it looks nothing like government. What could possibly, truly affect people into treating each other with decency, in order to be treated with decency in return? We all know when we feel or think we've been treated indecently so we must know (pretty much so), when we treat another indecently.
    I believe one way that could come about would be through a great reduction in the stress, fear, doubt and confusion we feel, have and experience or have dumped on us, on a daily basis. But, what would accomplish that?
    Imagine if everyone contributed in short durations of time, their skills, knowledge, training, education, abilities, desires, understandings and by so doing, we not only keep certain types of machinations running for the benefit of all, but we don't worry about whether or not there will be enough money to take care of ourselves (where most of that stress, etc. comes from), because all that we contribute for (right now we call it work), is free. We can do this. We can automate so many things. In fact, what you do, just hasn't been automated yet. But the automation comes to put you out of a job, increasing the profit for the corporation, rather than what it was intended for: to relieve humans of drudgery, mindless, repetitive labor, whereby the human becomes more like the robot rather than the robot doing the work.
    As long as we have monetary systems we will have corruption, crime and slavery. We will have resource wars. Are you a person who, if put in a certain position, will throw that live baby into a burning oven? Are you that person who will say, "I want my kids to eat. Go to Asia. Take their food. I don't care about those children!" This new world is coming and those now in their early years will either have the freedom to make the right decisions for the world then or they will not have the freedoms necessary. If we are going to end slavery, and there is more than ever before in the history of the world, then we must truly end it, first. Bold

  • Mathew Taylor

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    Apr 24 2011: I would really like to hear some feedback on the point I was trying to make as sometimes it is easy to get blinded in our own thoughts. I hope some of the laizze-faire economist could chime in.

    It was concerning the relationship between regulations and economic production. Traditionally, as regulations increase economic production decreases. I am suggesting that this inverse relationship only holds true when we assume that there are multi sets of regulations to choose from. Because of this, corporations are almost forced to relocate when regulations pass and so regulations have had the impact of decreasing or even erasing economic production.

    I am arguing that if regulations were globally universal then regulations would not at all affect economic production. In this sense, geographical minimum living wages could be assigned, environmental regulations, safety regulations, etc . . . If all corporations had the same exact regulations then they would all compete on an even playing field. Instead of corporations looking for locations with the best policies they could match up better with a location's "natural" comparative advantage: skill of worker, environmental conditions, etc. . . In fact, I would think it might actually give credibility to the idea of development in third world countries. We have much evidence that clearly shows the current model of "development" as a total failure.

    This would effectively separate economics from government. People could vote on regulations without worrying about chasing jobs away and the economic sector would be free to compete, produce and profit at will without the current problem of exploitation.

    For me it makes sense, but again, it is easy to get tunnel vision with your own thoughts.

    I am convinced that any centrally controlled economic system would fail miserably and I agree with all of the logic of capitalism. I am also convinced that zero regulation has been and would be disastrous.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 24 2011: yes a tough one..we say we hold these values dear:fair wages, safe working conditions,envirornmental protections, child labor laws: We know they increase the cost of production,and yet, bottom line, so few of us have our expressed values lined up with the choices we actually make in the market place.Are you personally willing to pay more and have less for the sake of these values which as you say must be enforced to avert disater. Are you personally willing to do the discernment to make sure your funds are invested only in companies who follow these practices in all their places of operation all over the world? If not, then what is it we expect of law and regulation? Do we look to it as a way of limiting our choices for us because we lack the moral courage as individuals to aline our values with our actions?

      • y yolanda

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        Apr 24 2011: I see you made a comment some 10 minutes ago and while doing so, my power went out. :)
        Anyway, thanks for your responses. I think one thing that concerns me, though it isn't mine to solve, is something I just read a little bit about, maybe on this site somewhere.That power-outage came at the wrong time. It was about "resource wars" and if one believes those in control of resources, then we are bound to have them. I worry about people I know in other parts of the world other than America and feel very strongly that most Americans would condone the murder and theft of resources of other people if pushed to that point. And they will be. That is a definite intention of those in control of resources. We invaded a country, killed and ruined many lives, for control of oil, so that Americans could continue to think all is okay with the world. This doesn't have to happen. When you ask, "because we lack the moral courage as individuals to aline our values with our actions?" remember that it is money that makes people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do. I have reached a point in my life where I don't hold it against another, and accept that whatever they think they must do to survive is okay, it isn't immoral, a sin or any of those things. After all, it must not be immoral to kill another since those who have given the world the moral codes to live by, such as "thou shall not kill" have never really followed them themselves and in the name of the same God or whatever as back then, are still doing it today. Besides, to be in business requires a profit and if I tell you my hand bag is all right but the store down the street has a much better one, I will be out of business. I can't afford to be ethical and this is one reason I am so against the monetary system. In spite of the ideal we think we are working towards, we are not. There are simply too many to be successful. Only a few will be, the rest will have a job (survival) and many of them will lose and have it.

      • Mathew Taylor

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        Apr 24 2011: I am actually saying that that is a false trade off. Regulation does not inherently hinder production. It only hinders production if it is regionally specific and there exist other regions with less regulations.

        Look at America's heyday with manufacturing. It existed when federal regulations were passed when individual states could not then avoid the regulations. If we had international minimum regulations there would be NO trade off in production. That trade off only exists when there exists different regulations in different locals, meaning a company from one region would then gain a comparative advantage through policy.

        Universal regulations would construct a "natural" state under which free market capitalism would be then free to operate under. If regulations were no longer regionally specific then they would in essence, be separated from economic production, they would merely reflect general beliefs in standard of living (which would be very complex to iron out).
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          Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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          Apr 24 2011: Yes but how do we actually do that? countries won't tolerate a non-vountary over ride of their internal laws..I was pointing in the direction of where you are pointing with my post here at TED on Foundations for a Global Democracy. Maybe like the Sullivan Principles. with the help of the internet & social media if we could draft and circulate a "we the people of the world" statement of values..things we believe as citizens if the wolrd that no nation has a right to transgress..we could begin to have some effect. What do you think, Matthew?

      • Mathew Taylor

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        Apr 24 2011: Agreed. That is a major issue. I think most third world countries would be willing participants as right now they get their policies controlled already through the IMF and so they would love something like this. Middle East would be tricky but the current uprisings do present a chance for a fresh start and the young educated in these countries might be able to be convinced.

        South America I think possess a political climate ripe for this type of scenario.

        I think most resistance would come from those countries who are well established and cherish national sovereignty: The U.S., China, Russia. Just look at the backlash from the American right when President Obama claimed to be a "citizen of the world." I think championing the economic incentive here would be key to turning attitudes in these areas.

        I think drafting a constitution is a great start. It is probably the single most important thing that would need to be done. I will check out that link.
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    Thee Philosopher

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    Apr 23 2011: Give better education basic standard of private school education for all. Tear away the classes in society and thirdly stop double speak and propaganda.
    oh and i nearly forgot minimum food sustenance and housing for all.

  • mirjam van den brand-van den boom

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    Apr 23 2011: these questions are spinning in my head for four months...i don't know yet, but i keep on searching. maybe we can look where onteher people are who are thinking on these questions and ideas. i'm curious.
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    jock mctavish

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    Apr 23 2011: there is a fascinating political experiment happening in canada's north in this direction. both the nwt and the new nunavut governments are based on aboriginal ideas of consensus rather than the westminster tradition of adversarial debate. it's been working well now for 3 decades. political parties exist only in federal politics, but don't exist at this territorial level. each hamlet/region elects the best candidate. they gather in yellowknife and in iqualiut and elect amongst themselves those most qualified for the various ministerial jobs and these form the government. the rest make up the "opposition" and keeps them honest. this was made possible by the political participation of the dene and the unuit who make up half the northern population. it has meant the best ideas become law rather than only those ideas of the leaders. it has protected minor interests rather well - local communities often vote themselves dry of booze for example.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 23 2011: Jock, love that and would like to know more about that..the founding fathers also looked to native anerican "law" and were very impressed with the Iroquois system(???).. do you know Tom Atlee's work in Co-Intelligence..very similar and I have seen it work in groups where there is great polarity..there is a wisdom that can speak past bias, prejudice, debate and arguement when all parties agree to "the practuce" (of listening to everyone) Tom Atlee at his site for the co-intelligence Insutute writes of the process..everyone speaks in turn saying what they feell or want or think..very soon there starts to be an emerging consensus and then after many rounds there is Decion Making Without Decisions ( the tille of the aritcle)..theer is consensus that is conplete and "woned" and honored by each. Perhaps the nunavut process is similar??? Could you share it with us in more detail? Thank you for making this important and relevant reference
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        jock mctavish

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        Apr 24 2011: http://www.gov.nu.ca/wpc/nunavut.html
        no, haven't heard of tom atlee before. will look up. but you're describing the practice of the "talking stick" or "talking stone" practiced by many aboriginal groups. very interesting to use the technique in a mixed group where typically the extraverts dominate the conversation to the annoyance of the rest. whoever has the stick has the floor. and noone speaks except the person with the stick. including if he/she is just gathering their thoughts or waiting a bit. when done that person passes the stick around the circle. persons who don't want to speak don't. it is incredibly powerful as a tool because suddenly everyone is actually listening to the speaker, and not thinking about their own retort.
        you remind me of robert persig's work on "quality" and his two books "zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" and "lila". he's built up a webpresence on the same themes. in lila he made the astonishing claim that it was the 5 nations that invented democracy. and that the founding fathers of the us were well acquainted with the "iroquois constitution."
        http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/IroCons.html
        they had a means of stopping war that is most beautifully put in the image of an eagle atop a tree beneath which the weapons of war were buried. they had a beautiful balance between men and women in their system. there were many clan longhouses presided over by matriarchs. they each sent a man to the tribal councils. if such a man broke certain rules he was shunned and that longhouse would lose a turn sending a rep to the council.
        some have suggested that the only progress we've made is the size of the tribe is bigger. to a lady living in seclusion, that might be some small comfort.
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          Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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          Apr 24 2011: Thank you jock for explaining the process.I think it speaks meaningfully and with promise to the possibilities of technology assisted direct democracy in a large plurastic.modern society..I think it would make for a wiser and much smaller government with a far more focused, coherent and rational system of laws and regulations.We tend to think that such practices only work because they arise from deeply held shared values..but my own experience and observation is that such practices can work merely through consent to the practice without any underlying tribal identity. It's one of those things,though, you have to see and experience to believe. I wonder if we could model here at Ted somehow so everyone could expereince how it works?

  • y yolanda

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    Apr 23 2011: I really don't believe people want to change what they have. Changing what you have means remaining in the box no one really wants out of. What is in the box are the same old broken and unrepairable institutions, with the same old ineffectual and broken tools along with the same vicious cyclical thinking, such as voting, that goes nowhere. We know this but we persist on trying to hold on to what is familiar in the hope (that's another issue), things will somehow get better. WE have the actual proof right before our eyes, always, and we simply deny it to ourselves and others.

    For instance, there is this growing, highly visible display by celebrities and others about ending human trafficking. But, they really don't want to end it because they are unwilling to destroy, dismantle or get rid of the real cause for it. This applies to almost 100% of all crime in the world. Crime is strongly connected to corruption. I guess that's what it really is and the cause of corruption of all kinds is money.

    Without writing more, if readers resist, disagree, argue, ridicule, dismiss or in other ways minimize the idea of no monetary systems in the world, then I think it fair to say that would be a good indication they cannot get out of the box. They cannot think outside the box. They refuse to think outside the box.

    Studies, experiments and intense and long-term research has shown or proven that humans have both true and false within them, concurrently. However, the truth is kept or held in the unconscious while the false is kept in the conscious. This is counter-intuitive and creates inner turmoil and resistance to what is true. It also leads to denial of what is true and that leads to self-deception. It arises from deception. Self-deception is the active misrepresentation of reality to the conscious mind. Deception is the active misrepresentation of reality to another conscious mind.

    Politicians, politics have never really solved our human problems. They don't know how to.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 23 2011: y yolanda penetrating insight..in some circles what you are pointing to is called the "false self"..that is the part that is bound to ego..that ties identity to what is owned and already known..that is afraid to step beyond that.. but as you wisely observe..there is a "beyond tha"t within each of us.

      • y yolanda

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        Apr 24 2011: I'm not very smart and I don't have long to live. The only thing I have to offer any of you, this general "you" out there who I'm assuming are much smarter than I, is the idea that you must think very differently. To put it another way, "let go of old ideas, absolutely." Without doing that, nothing really new, "outside the box everyone is in" will or can come in or manifest itself to you younger ones and perhaps your offspring. Without letting go absolutely, what does come will more than likely be for the broken pieces in the box because "you" are still holding on to the broken system we/you all have.
        Below, Edwin says, "the ideal system is laissez-faire capitalism, i.e. an old idea. Nothing new there.
        Political, economic must go! There's a new idea. The resources we all work for don't belong to anyone; corporations, countries who can dishonestly buy them, thus enslaving those they stole from, in poverty. Everyone who is born, is born equal.To me this means they have a Right to an equal share of the earth's resources needed to live without the stress of whether or not they will be able to purchase them. We need to take them out of the hands of the ruling, financial elite by getting rid of political/economic systems. Those are based on slavery, scarcity (of resources) and profit. All we work for needs to be free for all and we have the technology, the training, the skills, the education, the talent, the numbers (of people), the willingess, the need, the desire, the dream (since the beginning of time and oppression) and capability to do this. Over a short time, the overlap of generations, it will become easier, and more will be born into a world of peace, with out crime or the need for crime because there will be no money. If money ended right now, do not believe for a moment all motivation would end. We would still be hungry, thirsty, sleepy, cold/hot, curious, and all the things that do motivate us. Does one really think that would all cease when money goes? No. :)
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          Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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          Apr 24 2011: That's a tough one to tackle for most of us Y Yolanda ,a true collective where money isn't necessary. I hope your point won't just get skipped over as what you are expressing is an ancient and enduring value and system of governance. I apologize that I seem to have also skipped over it. Please forgive me.We forget that it hasn't always been as it is now and so aren't even able to consider anything else.Indigenous peoples all over the wolrld, who have had no contact with each ther or the modern wolrld, live with remarkably similar moneyless cultures and systems of governance..Housing is provided for each by the whole community; food is grown and shared and consumed in collective..people fashion their own tools and make their own clothes from what's around ( or don't need any in their climate), the whole village teaches children what they need to know. No need for money..everything needed for life is collectively harvested and shared equally. There is usually chief enforcer but governance is really a system of consent to live by these values . Thank you for persisting Y Yoland and again my apologies for just skipping over your very valuable point about moneyless governance.

        • Mathew Taylor

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          Apr 25 2011: Saying something must go is not an idea it is counter reaction lacking substance. I am all for new ideas but they need to be something more then a rejection of what is. There needs to be a plan and substance for it to be an idea.

          I think democracy is still a new idea as we have not yet seen it actualized. World democracy is even more revolutionary because of the PRACTICAL implications of it and the fact that it would probably produce the new ideas which you are alluding too.

  • Michael Decker

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    Apr 22 2011: The Wikipedia definition of government is a body which enforces & legislates law, and arbitrates conflicts via their monopoly on violence.

    A monopoly on violence is necessary for internal stability, but enforcement and legislation can be delegated. This permits much freedom in the organizational structure of the rest of government.

    Create a multitude of bodies, each dedicated to a specific subject or topic. The body defines how the nation views that subject. It could specify laws and penalties, specifications and requirements, plans and goals, hopes and dreams, etc.

    Wherever one body's analyzation involves a subject that has its own body, it must defer that aspect of the subject to that body.

    The decision making process of the bodies can also, itself, be defined by a body. Perhaps a board of deciders is voted in, or votes are taken online, etc.

    This forces the government to be united in all defined aspects, and allows massive, efficient, simultaneous decision making.

    There would be alot of resources involved to ensure that full cross-referencing between bodies occurs, but the effort would ensure a cohesive government.

    Such a system would also require some special precautions to correct any bad systemic change that might propagate through the system. For example, if the body defining the decision-making process rules that only citizens with a net worth over a billion dollars can vote, there should be recourse that doesn't involve an armed revolt.
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    S.R. Ahmadi 20+

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    Apr 22 2011: if most people of world settle on some thing, it not mean it is best choice.
    what best form rationally and scientifically?
    people of world are influenced by advertisement and media. so most people of world can be controlled by media.

  • Tomas Lough

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    Apr 21 2011: Democracy: I think this is an important part of any system. The problem with our modern system for democratic representation though, is that one ends up with representatives who have no experience in the vast majority of fields they're supposed to be regulating. So you get leaders who make some very poor decisions, based on political motivations, which can have enormous consequences.

    Technocracy: I think a technocratic system is a good solution to the problem described above. With professionals regulating their own feild of specialty. Thus doctors would regulate health care, civil engineers would be in charge of civil engineering, communications experts would be in charge of updating our communication networks, etc. So the laws are constructed by those who are the most educated in the subject being regulated. Of course this system should be democrotized! So those brought up in the educational system would have the opportunity to be trained in any field of their choosing. This means that if you don't like the way something is being done, then you can do something about it, just not while blinded by ignorance.

    Meritocracy: I think it would be only fair that all promotions are based on an applicant's predicted performance, and not based on any personal or political biases against that individual. I think it would be important to control for this to prevent any kind of power struggle among officials.

    I think this would require a different economic system. I'd suggest one that rewards individuals for the benefit they provide to society. Those who confer the most benefit onto society would have the highest standard of living, and those who gave the least to society, or even perhaps detracted from it, would be provided the minimum standard of living. This would encourage everyone to try to do the most to aid others because they would be rewarded for it, instead of our current system which I think is a more selfish system, and obviously unstable.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 23 2011: Yes I think we are on the same page Tomas. We have grown too big and complicated as a nation to be adequately represented by 500 folk who actually aren't any more expert than the avergae citizen..maybe less so since the real experts are earning more in commerce.On all the TED discussions on dircet democracy there is a great deal of elitism and mistrust of the common man but what is our legislature?

      edit: I also like your idea of a sort of peer review system..do you have more to say about that?

      • Tomas Lough

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        Apr 26 2011: Indeed. I think everyone would be agreed that we all be allowed a voice in government, but if everthing is voted on by everyone (or by those elected by everyone) then there's no specialization in the system, and if there's one thing that our modern technologic society has shown us, it's how important specialization is to progress. So I think if we want to progress, we should give legislative power over to specialists. That way what needs to be done for society can be done by those most knowledgable on the subject, in a free and open manner. Though I think it would be prudent not to give every professional equal power over their field. Legislation is an important task, and I think it would be good to have a graduated system whereby those with lower education levels are limited to more local decisions (their neighbourhood or city), while those with the highest expertise would make decisions designed to effect districs, states, and the nation. And if we standardize education levels, we could litterally guarantee every citizen the possibility of voting on national policy. Not to mention the more wide spread benefit that citizens could diversify their city policies based on it's specific needs and limitations in every field of expertise.

        The other great thing about this system is that it has a very good built in system of checks and balances. With every profession naturally reliant on the others for all the goods and services they provide to society. And if our economy is made to reflect that, then I think we could get a great deal done in this country.
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    S.R. Ahmadi 20+

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    Apr 21 2011: what is the best form of government?
    is democracy best form of government?
    do you accept this?:
    "if a shepherd have enough money for advertisement can become a president in a democratic society"
    do you know how many forms of government say Aristotle and what form is worst model in his view?

    • Michael Rhymer

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      Apr 21 2011: Most of the world has settled on a communist-capitalist hybrid. Centrally planned monetary system, taxation, and entitlements driven by a heavily regulated capitalist engine. Given the state of things now, this model does not seems sustainable.
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        S.R. Ahmadi 20+

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        Apr 22 2011: if most people of world settle on some thing, it not mean it is best choice.
        what best form rationally and scientifically?
        people of world are influenced by advertisement and media. so most people of world can be controlled
        people just work and not think, and media think for people.

  • Quinn McKinsey

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    Apr 21 2011: Governence doesn't really have to do with technology and everything to do with people. It seems to me that most of the ideas expressed in this forum have to do with more fairly distributing power. However, almost everyones response has been to simply move power from one group to another so as to give themselves the most influence. If you really want to gain more influence then the goal should be to have as many competing factions as possible, because the fewer there are, then the less likely it is that your opinion will matter. If politicians are underhanded/transparent in dealing with each other or the people, then all it does is add/remove an extra dimension to/from the problem. This also seems to be a general theme as most of the suggestions below amount to removing some dimensions and adding others. The idea that it is the people against the corporations or governments is silly because the people are not the only group they have to deal with. The people act more as a power base for when the corporations and governments battle one another. He who controls the ideas of the people wins. The institutions act just like people, they do what is in their best interest. With that said, I would think the best I idea would be to encourage policies that cause them to compete more, not less. That would throw out one world government as well as lasse-faire; due to lasse-faire resulting in a monopoly if government doesn't intervene. Would like to hear your thoughts.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 23 2011: the more diversity the better the system works?? wisdom there I think..coiuld you flesh that out a bit more for us???
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    Kat Haber 500+

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    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Apr 20 2011: Taking it to the people: Tim Pawlenty announced his running for the president on Facebook & President Obama is hosting a FAcebook townhall today. Today the American President uses the social networking platform of Facebook to connect directly with the people. Will he or his staff also review likes/comments/posts following the event? Could this be the start of a more direct conversation between the people and the pres? http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=216335745046274&oid=63811549237&comments

  • Mathew Taylor

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    Apr 20 2011: No-one wants to hear it, but Global Democratic processes would go a long way. Yes, I am suggesting Global Government.
    Our economic order is already Global, it is only fitting that politic would/should follow. Most problems today: Environmental, Third World Poverty, First World recession, etc. . . are from the fact that corporations are global and can thus manipulate local policies to their best advantage. Local regulation is powerless in a global economic order.

    Imagine, a world in which every human was counted as politically relevant and was guaranteed equal human rights. The modern project of DEMOCRACY is not ending, it is only just beginning.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 20 2011: Matthew..Iinsightful and unavoidably..wonderfully true..we are a global community and we .we need to rethink modern democracy from scratch in light of that..taking account of that... the global orbnaizations we have now are patch work piece meal and not a "whole" in concept or function..so what ould the golboal democratic congress look like? what would the consitution for such a global democratic conference look like? can it be structured to accomodate non-democratic nations? what should a modern democratic nation look like as a member if a global community.?

      • Mathew Taylor

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        Apr 20 2011: Those are the real questions that need to be answered and I think discussions need to take place concerning them moving forward. I think the project started by our founding fathers still provides a very good framework for us moving forward. In fact, I would argue that their ideas were not only revolutionary for their time but are still revolutionary for our time.

        Today, there is hope in that many peoples around the world yearn for democracy (even though we still have not fully worked out what that means). I think some level of local sovereignty and respect for local culture needs to be built in (similar to state vs. federal rights). As far as a global framework, I think it would need to be very abstract, allowing for many different cultures but championing none over the other. A global constitution based on natural human rights would be a start. Exactly what is considered a natural right would be up for debate. I would include life and liberty, maybe pursuit of happiness. But, would private property count? IDK I think there are good arguments for and against private property as a natural right. It would need to be secular and embrace freedom of religion with absolutely NO Laws based solely on a religious morality. This does not mean there would be no morality, just an abstract framework based on how a persons' actions affects another person or society itself.

        On a side note. I love the talk on technology and its impact in all of this. I think we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg concerning the use of technology to help create organic global democratic processes.
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          Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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          Apr 20 2011: inspired by your comments and our exchange..I posted a TED IDEA this morning , Foundations For A Global Democracy. It solicits collective wisdom on the foundation principles that define us as a defacto global community. I learned after our exchange, and after posting it that there actuallywas a group on international thinkers who tried in the mid-90's to build support for their "Charter For A Global Democracy" which invisioned stretching the U.N. to include thiese functions of Global Governnance. Becuase it sought actual world Governance, rather than a voluntary World Treaty, it was rejected as a threat to national soverignty. Such a charter or.."global declaration" could work like the sullivan pirnciples did..just buuilding worldwide support for the principles and urging actions in support ( not buying afrcan gold or diamonds etc.) Much more complex when it is not one country , one issue but now we have the internet which makes it poossible to handle more complexity and also to spread ideas more quickly.
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    Paul van Zoggel

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    Apr 20 2011: What if we just look at 'simple' nature. A tree is committed to stay where it is as long as it lives. Stability for others. A tree puts the baseline for survival of many species. For the rest all the species are interdependently on their own.

    Government and military became big to prevent corruption by power/force. Mobile phones in closed networks do a lot of government and police work for us. Even real money is practically not needed anymore.

    So the new role is not control from above, though control from below, making sure the means for survival are clear for 7 generations in a row :)
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    Drew Bixby

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    Apr 20 2011: A self-chosen class system of citizenship to encourage participation, as discussed in another TED talk: http://www.ted.com/conversations/453/a_self_chosen_class_system_of.html
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    Chantelle Prince

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    Apr 20 2011: Perhaps we could start with a list of basic priorities? If current governments gave thier list of priorities (backed up by facts), imagine what that would look like!

    The internet, while it can be used as a tool, is not trully democratic as some of us have much greater access to it than others, thus it should not be relied on too heavily.

    Democracy is not healthy unless dissent is welcome and the media are accountable for misleading the people as they currently do. I actually began a MA in Journalism and quit in disgust; they are taught to misrepresent the truth even as they discuss ethics!

    Polititians should be accountable for thier actions, for example, if they lead the country into a war against the wishes of the majority of the people, leading to many deaths, they should go to jail like any other thug!
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      Drew Bixby

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      Apr 20 2011: I like the idea of priorities. Every policy requiring spending should be established with a priority attached relative to other policies. This way, when something needs to be cut from the budget, there does not need to be discussion. The budget is cut from the lowest priority items first. If a priority can not be established, then a policy has not been thought through enough.
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        Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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        Apr 23 2011: Your are sooooo right on target on this Drew. We have allowed our federal laws to grow into a muliti headed hydra..a fragmented disconnected incoherent system. We have too many laws and we turn to law so readily to solve problems. We need to radically rethink how something becomes federal law and reconnect it to the will of the people.
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    Brett McDowell

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    Apr 19 2011: IMO I think democracy does not adapt as quick as society and technology. Therefore it creates developmental lag. Secondly democracy should occur in real time and be decided through being able to support or revoke your trust in a decision maker or project, since if we are frank with our current situation a real time assessment of campaign promises requires more research, time and impartial media then we currently have. It would provide an open knowledge base that would allow continual discussion and transparency down to the last detail. It would assist in provided and developing detailed standardized academic information for citizens to consult, along with the means to gain recognition for the knowledge they have acquired. Also I think it is important that there is structural competition for government departments as bureaucratic society has tendency to stagnate. Arguments would be presented tagged with logical aspects with references so they that we could accurately target illogical or fallacious information that is being presented. Citizens with an idea could formalize into governmental structure and then dissipate as necessary.
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 23 2011: Brett,..are you saying that the system needs to be more real time and more resilient?? That's its already happened before we evenknow it or have had a chance to think about it? Could you say a bit more on this?

  • Just S. Forall

    • +2
    Apr 19 2011: Simplify the laws. Make sure they are enforced. Simplify taxation. Make sure every cent collected is transparent (where it came from , how it got spent, who is responsible). Give people more power to choose what they want or do not want using online voting. People might say its a lot more complicated than that. I say, does it really have to be?
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    Genevieve Tran 50+

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    Apr 19 2011: Good to see that we're all having these simultaneous thoughts. I didn't know! :) I just typed out a whole proposal here for redefining politics: http://www.ted.com/conversations/2133/what_about_doing_away_with_pol.html
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    Scott Staples

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    Apr 19 2011: From a legal perspective I think the rule of law is important and constitutionally, a clear seperation of powers is a must.

    The rule of law will ensure that everyone, including the state, is subjuect to the law and no one is above the law

    A clear seperation of powers (the United States I think is a good example) ensures that there is no abuse or arbitrary use of power by the seperate branches of government (the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary). In New Zealand there is a huge overlap between the Legislature and the Executive which (before the 'mixed-member proportional' voting system was adopted) allowed the government to pass virtually and controversial law it wanted to as cabinet dominated parliament. The United States has a distinct seperation of powers where Congress passes legislation and the Executive administers the law. They have a good system of checks and balances that keeps the system honest.
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    Lee Wilkinson 20+

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    Apr 19 2011: I believe the truth is that Government employees for the most, need to be good managers. I feel that most people get into politics because they want to change the world and loose sight of the day to day running of the 'store' In today's society we do not need people telling us how to raise or children or what television to watch, we need people who can run the mechanics of government at the highest levels.

    I heard someone say once that; 'Anyone running for president, probably shouldn't be' because of the very qualities needed to be that person.
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